I'm too old for that!

Well, that was fun, but here it is, Monday morning, and I'm almost caught up on my sleep! WOW. I didn't think I was getting old. Well, no, I knew I was getting old - things have been giving out regularly for the last three years. But I thought... yeah. Moving on.

We went to Lacon Trade Day on Saturday to get chickens. Everyone says it's *the* place to get chickens. And lemonade. We got chicharrones and some cheap dodads. The weather's been too hot for the roosters to take care of business, so there were no chicks to be had. We missed the lemonade, entirely, but had a lovely time just roaming the place with the kids. Our kids are cool. I appreciate that. They were fun and funny and stayed close enough for us not to panic, and nobody came home with weird livestock. I really appreciate them.

Sunday, we made it to church (though not to Sunday School - that just seems to be a time hurdle we haven't managed to clear yet), then spent the rest of the day at the water park. That deal (skipping baseball and using the money on season passes to the water park) has turned out to be one of the best things we could have done. Everyone's having fun. Nobody has to sit in the hot stands. Nobody has to keep the littles from playing in the cigarette butts and sunflower seed spittle. There's none of that ridiculousness that goes along with Type-A parents trying to relive their own youths through yelling at their children. And we've eaten well all Spring and Summer. It's delightful, really.

Today, the dryer stopped squeaking. Actually, it stopped last night. I was so relieved it didn't dawn on me to check and see if something *else* had gone wrong. I should have checked. The wash this morning was still quite wet. The tub won't turn - not regularly, not even manually. It's completely seized up. I'm so thankful we have the line to fall back on. Aside from trying to time it around the thunderstorms, it's only a minor inconvenience, and at least it's not January! We'll take it apart tonight and hope for Something Minor to be the problem.

A friend of ours from Maryland is in town this week, so we're looking forward to seeing him while he's here. And, it looks like it's another week in the high 80's, low 90's, which is a beautiful reprieve and we plan to make the most of it! (Yeah, can't believe I'm saying that.)

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Summer electives

This week, in Science for Summer...

Spiders: some things really make you appreciate glass


Hormones & Bacteria: what they can do to you, why you should care, and what you can do about it. (It's accelerated course.)


Heat & Humidity: why you really don't want to do your Physical Fitness badge in the middle of summer. in the South. Let's just play in the sprinklers. Please.

Art: Hey! The basement stays cool! Let's play there!

Getting ready for the Harry Potter premier tonight! See you later.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

The End of June, and Independence Day

We found a neat little spot to play in the river and enjoy the summer days with friends. It's not as POSH as some might like, and it's certainly no Destin, FL, but the kids had a blast, the picnic area is clean, and it's close enough to go regularly, so I'm going to call that a Win.

The rest of the week we've been trying to fix the back yard fence, which Buddy managed to find a way over (I think that's done), preparing for the Fourth of July Festivities (which went off without too many hitches), and gearing back up for Scout activity.

The Cubs made new neckerchief slides, and the siblings made patriotic necklaces, bracelets, and random dangly things. I love not having to worry about whether the balcony stays clean -- the kids had a wonderful time, and the other Moms are just fantastic! John really earned his stripes, too, helping with the littlest siblings as they painted with watercolors and made their crafts. He spearheaded the whole operation, stayed with them, handled the cutting and cleaning. Wow. I'm impressed, and proud of the work he did last week.

Today, the boys pulled a two-hour shift at the Spirit of America Festival. It was hot. It wasn't as hot as last year, and this year there was the faintest hint of a breeze, which was delicious. But it was still *hot*. The Suburban thermometer registered 108 there in the parking lot. ~ack~ Kids are tough, though, and we had to herd them back homeward long before they were ready. I have to admit, I'm kind of looking forward to the time Zorak and I can go do something else (read: indoors and air conditioned) while the kids go enjoy the sights and sounds and then meet us back home for a cookout in the afternoon! It's not that I wouldn't love to spend the day with the kids - it's that the kids are far more resilient than I am, these days.

Our next projects are a hike for the Boy Scouts, an outing for the Cub Scouts, and - God willing - another push on the house, to tidy up those little details that never quite got finished in the first place, so we can enjoy them before everything starts needing to be touched up again. I do wish we had these nice, long daylight-filled days in the fall or the spring, when it wasn't so hot outside (yes, I realize I'm wishing we could completely alter the laws of physics - short of being able to have a summer home in Nova Scotia, though, this is the closest pipe dream I can muster).

Happy Independence Day!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Scout Stuff

The 4th of July celebrations bring us another opportunity for community involvement this year at the Spirit of America Festival at Point Mallard. The park opens the area to community organizations and vendors, and the whole celebration is a delight for all who come. Last year, the heat was oppressive, and yet it was still a wonderful time -- I can hardly wait for this year's events.

In preparation, our Den will be making new neckerchief slides to wear with their uniforms. I've been researching ideas all week, and while I don't feel like I'm any closer to being ready for Friday's meeting, I have learned a lot. One of my favorite pages so far is Scouting With A Neckerchief, a little pamphlet printed in 1927, that tells the 60-some-odd uses for a neckerchief, as well as some of the history behind the easily recognized symbol. Very cool reading, indeed. I can't wait to share this with the boys.

And one gentleman put his carving skills to delightful use making slides for his grandson. Aren't they darling? I might have a hard time turning the boys loose with those ("Wouldn't they look better in Mommy's safe? No, really. Give it here before you lose it!"), but I'll bet that little boy was *thrilled* with his.

And this site - Scout Mom (but I *love-love-LOVE* the url - fakinit. That just makes me smile and nod like a bobblehead.) Well, I didn't find what I was looking for, but I had fun doing it! She's getting bookmarked for future Scout-related sanity breaks.

Meanwhile, I finally got my hands on some Blue Cards. I'd begun to think they were myth. Or legend. Either way, I was starting to think I'd have better odds getting hold of a Luck Dragon than some of these. Tomorrow, the Bigs will pick the merit badges they'd like to work on this summer, then sometime later in the week we can get the green light and start things rolling with those.

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

More Water Fun

A pool in the summer in the just the ultimate luxury. We don't have one, but we have friends who do, and they invited us Saturday to enjoy some play time and a cookout. Yes, food is good. We have awesome friends. The kids had a complete blast, playing with their friends, enjoying the out-of-doors, and wearing themselves out.

Z and I were a little worn at the end of the day, too... (kids get heavy when you heft 'em out of the water!)

And then, it seems, the kids ran off with the camera after we got home.

I love digital photography. We don't have to pay for developing pictures of the children's eyeballs, nostrils, and the inside of the wood stove. But they can wallow in the fun of taking pictures, and we can enjoy a glimpse of the world through the children's eyes, and keep a few gems from the discovery. (I now also have a good idea of which areas of the house I need to de-clutter. Not posting those, though.)

Did you have a great weekend? Are you enjoying your little ones (or not so little ones) this summer?

Kiss those babies!
~Dy

Well, that's better. Kind of.

We needed a change of scenery! Or a tall caramel mocha double something turbo latte. But today isn't an in-town day, so this will have to do. I don't love it, but I don't hate it (I just hate change. Change is hard and awkward. And it highlights the myriad skills I don't have - like web page layout and design. *aherm*)

Back later for some blogging. Right now, I have to make sure the children have not broken into the pantry stores down there in the basement. They're playing a game of Monopoly that makes me want to hire a medium to contact my own mother and apologize (repeatedly) for the summers I spent yelling out, "MOM, it's your turn AGAIN! MOM, where'd you GO, Mom?"

Now, I know.

She was a good woman.

Kiss those babies,
~Dy